2013 Award Winner Profile

Haley Ann Lynn

Creator of "Just Breathe T-shirts"

Haley Lynn, a young PH patient, helped to spread awareness and educated her community with her project. Haley created a beautiful painting of a set of lungs that said “Just Breathe”. She was originally planning to create t-shirts with the design for local community members, friends, and family, but when the photo of her painting went viral on the PHA Facebook, she decided to make it into a t-shirt she could distribute to a wider audience. The grant allowed her to print the lung design on t-shirts that she can distribute. Haley gives out the t-shirts for free through contests on her blog or through her Facebook page, or if she knows people who are in need, she sends one to them. She is also using her grant to create goodie boxes for children who are in the hospital or need a pick-me-up.

Haley also created posters for local high school and middle schools. She had her first cardiac arrest in middle school and suffered the most from her illness in high school, so she wanted to create her own posters to educate the students. Haley’s friend took a picture of her, and she turned it into a poster to get the attention of students and whoever views the poster. The poster said: “I’m 21 years old and at risk for heart failure. At 18 years old I was diagnosed with a rare terminal disease. I was told I would die within two years without a successful treatment. I’m still here because of research and medication instead of a heart and lung transplant. We need a cure. I’m not asking for your money, I’m asking for your awareness. Pulmonary Hypertension: Remember it.”

Haley’s hard work and great designs helped her to get her community more aware of PH and her story.

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